Puppet Master

The Results

Eijiro's consciousness came in bits and spirts.

He opened his eyes slowly to a dark room. Well, mostly dark. The door was cracked to let in a small stream of light and next to him was someone in a chair with their phone that cast a small, very dim glow on their face.

It took Eijiro a minute to realize that he was in his room and that the person in the chair was Izuku.

His head hurt and felt fuzzy and his muscles buzzed but he couldn't move his arms and when he tried it hurt more.

His movement must have alerted Izuku because the boy flinched and looked up from his phone before dashing out of the room and reappearing moments later with Mom and Dad.

Mom came over and turned on the lamp on Izuku's bedside table, the furthest one from him. Still, Eijiro winced at what felt like the brightest light on earth and his vision swam. Dad sat in the chair Izuku once occupied.

"E- iro? Eij- ro? Ca- ou hear- e?"

Eijiro tried to respond but ended up coughing. His throat was so dry! Hands gently guided him to a sitting position and a cup was brought to his lips as he could not hold it for himself. Eijiro took a few greedy gulps of the slightly warmed water, grateful for it not being too cold. He felt that it would hurt his head more.

Eijiro took a deep breath and looked around. It was a bit fuzzy but he saw Dad by his bed, Mom behind him, and Izuku hovering by the door to the room.

"Ho- are y- feeling, -ud?"

Eijiro blinked a few times. "Whaaat?"

Dad placed a hand on the red-head's forehead. "Fev- r." Eijiro must have blacked out or something because the next thing he was aware of was Mom suddenly appearing with a bowl of something that smelled heavenly in her hands but all he could think was: When did she leave?

Dad had to help him drink what was apparently chicken broth and Eijiro was laid back down to rest again. The lamp was shut off and before he knew it he was out again.

_______________________________

"Izuku, dear, are you sure you don't want to try sleeping?" Yuma paused by the door that Izuku was leaning next to.

Not since the morning of the entrance exam had Izuku slept and it was five in the morning the next day now. The greenette shook his head and sat down in the chair next to Ei's bed again which he seemed never to leave.

She swallowed a sigh. The boy was obviously exhausted after the exam but she knew that it was no use trying to get him to sleep.

"Do you want to eat then?" Izuku shook his head again. Asa rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "Okay, bud. We will be in here if you need us." Izuku drew his legs to his chest, curling into a ball on the chair and resuming his protective watch over his brother. He did scoot over a bit for Hime to sit on it next to him. Yuma was glad they had gotten the boy a cat. He seemed calmer around it.

Yuma almost habitually closed the door but remembered that Recovery Girl ordered at least a bit of light at all times. The last time she tried Izuku almost flipped.

Yuma cast one more glance at the greenette.

-----

'I- I - I need- I need- I need to stay w- with him.' Izuku's hands frantically moved. 'C- con- concussions- bad. B- bad.'

Yuma couldn't tell if he actually was aware of what he was saying or if he was subconsciously verbally responding with the protective instincts in him.

'Izuku,' she hesitantly started, 'you've had one of these before, haven't you?'

Yuma paled when Izuku paused and began counting on his fingers the number of concussions he has had-